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Read a review of I Thank You God (1998) for SSA chorus and piano by Roger MacNeill, Nebraska Music Educators Association.
Read an analysis of I Thank You God (1998) for SSA chorus and piano
Listen to a RealAudio (G2) stream of a performance of this work (SSA and piano) by the ACDA Honors Women's Choir, Monica Hubbard, conductor.
Download an MP3 file of this work (SSA and piano) performed by the ACDA Honors Women's Choir, Monica Hubbard, conductor.
Download an MP3 file of this work (SSA and orchestra) performed by the Hamburg High School Concert Chorale and members of the Buffalo Philharmonic, Norman Zogaib, conductor.
Download an MP3 file of this work (SSA and orchestra).
Download an MP3 file of this work (SSATB and piano) performed by the Deleware All-State High School Mixed Choir, Jerry Blackstone, conductor.
Download an MP3 file of this work (SSATB and piano) performed by the University of Louisiana, Monroe, Chamber Singers, Deborah Chandler, conductor.
Download an MP3 file of this work (SSA, piano, strings, and percussion) performed by Vox Femina Los Angeles, Iris S. Levine, conductor.
View/download a perusal PDF file of this work.
Download a PDF file of the E. E. Cummings poetry used in this work as text for printing in concert programs.
I Thank You God was commissioned by the Endowment Fund of the American Choral Directors Association in memory of Raymond W. Brock. The work was premiered by the Women's Honor Choir at the National ACDA Convention in Chicago, February, 1999. The version for Mixed Chorus was created in 2002.
The text is adapted from the E. E. Cummings poem "i thank you God for most this amazing day." This is a song of praise.
A piano introduction marked "slowly unfolding, with wonderment," spans the broad range of the keyboard, as if expressing the breadth of space and life. The chorus enters, offering thanks to God for "the leaping, greenly spirit of trees," "a blue true dream of sky" and "everything which is infinite."
A central phrase of "I who have died an alive again today" returns frequently. This is an expression of the rebirth of the soul with each "amazing day."
Notes by the composer